The Labor enquirer., 1887-01-15
.,Al!llslsIE.
What Was Said BY . French
Churchman In the Last
Century.
The AiseTies Of tho People De-
picte@ by One Who
Feared Not Rome.
The Conditions Exist Ts-Day, and Are
Protested Asainst by Good
Rhther AeGlYnn.

rr0te1tsd Against BY Good
Father AeGlyna.
While all g gossip In the capitaliStic
papers concefning the attitude Of the
Roman Catholic church toward the
labor movement in general and the ps.
eition OF one of its divines anent Henry
Georges theory on land. It is interesting
to the student to examine what has been
the teaching of some OF the wisest Of the
church's om ers IN DAYS gone bv.
There have been men In the pulpit
who stood opt above their fellow priests
to hold up the living truth when at
times il seemed u be In danger.
Such man was the Able de Ia Mem
nais. who, in France In the last century.
braved the seorn Of the rich and power.
full. Let us quote few Of his sayings
translated about q half.csnturv ago bv
Nathaniel Greene In Boston, who BY the
wav at the ii me ssid that It was then
(lsSs) applicable to the people u En-.
rope, who ~ ire at the time suffering
from evils and oppression. (which We
have happily escaped" little thinking
how soon It might apply to our people.
I'm passing through this, world, as We
pass. poor ira avellers Of q dav, I have
heard great lamentations / have opened
nv ewes and beheld uuheard-of suffsr.
ings, innumefable SORROWS. Humanity
has stood before me, pale. diseased.
faintIng, cove red with mourning gar.
ments that were bespfinkled with blood
and l have sSked mvseif is this man
Is this he sudh as God CREATED him ?
But l soon discovered that thess suffer-
ings and these sorrows came mot from
God; and they are the work Of man him
self, sunk 10 ignorance and corrupted in
his passions.
"Thou say est. am cold and. to warm
thy attenuatsd members. thy masters
bind them with triple chains of iron.
Thou savest. 4 am hungry and they re-
plv to thee. eat the crumbs swept from
our festal halls. Thou, sayest, am
athirst.; and they answer. drink thy
tears. Thou faintest under the burthen
of thy tolls. and thy masters rejoice
they call thy fatigues and thv exhaus-
tion the nece essary curb Of labor"
The good a abbe depleted the action Of
those who oppose the efforts Of the peo-
pie to cast of the chains Of oppression in
manner VII hich applies tn the p,liti-
clans and high priests of the day. OF
such he said
"The anger Of these bad men whom the
weak shake of the chains that bind
them. is it not the anger Of the fsrocious
beast with it's struggling victim And
their complaints. are they not the com,
plants Of the vulture at the escape Of ita
prey ?" NJ
On the div vislon Of interests caused by
the inequalities of wealth, he said:
mo rivalry is possible where there is
but one intef rest: neither can there be
dissensions. That which originates dis
sension, envy, hatred. is the insatiable
desire Of possessing more and always
more. when pne possesses for himself
alone. Solitary possessions are accursed
Of heaven. tncessantly irritating. they
never satisfy the desire of gain. That
wealth only which is shared can be en-,
ioyed."
He was equally. clear In showing how
the inequaltl lies were fostered. as here:
"Thev hav made laws for their own
advantage. and have maintained them
by force. Oh one side power, wealth.
luxurious indulgence; TN the other ell
the burthent Of society.
"In other times, without absolutely
depriving him Of liberty. they have 90
managed that almost the entire fruit Of
his labor reverted 10 those who held
him in dependence. Complete slavery
had been better for him. For the master
at least feedS, lodges and clothes bic
slave. and nurses him in sickness. ON
account Of til 70 pecuniary interest he has
in his pressr vation. But he who be.
longs to no one IS used only 90 long ~ Q
profit can be drawn from him, after
which he is left to suffer unaided. What
/, he good for when age and labor have
consumed bis ttrength To die In the
streets Of cold and hunger. Yet bis
aspect shocks those who arc enjoying ali
the pleasures Of life. Perhsps he says 10
them as they psss-A morsel Of bread
for the love pf God That islimperti-
nent. He ID therefore taken up and
thrown into one ofthose unclean rscep-
tacles called almshouses, whore his mis-
cry is less obtrusive."
And ofthS destruction accompanying:
Elsewhere distinctions have be n.
founded, not upon birth, but on wealth
How much do you possessf 90
much. Take your seat 1t thssocial
banquet ; the table ID spread for you.
Thou who hast nothing. retire. Is there
home or country for the poori
"The ratBls. o. the common people
are contemptuously called, individually